In an epic acquisition (pun intended), Microsoft Studios picked up the rights to the Gears of War series from Epic games.
With this, Microsoft will be heading development for any present and future projects in the Gears of War franchise. It was also announced that the team manning production will be Black Tusk studios, formerly Microsoft Vancouver.
While this shift of management has a lot of new changes, one member of the old guard will still be part of production. Rod Fergusson, former Director of Production at Epic Games on the Gears of War series will be playing a â€œkey studio leadership role â€ in Black Tusk.
In addition to this, Black Tusk also announced they have a AAA title in the works for the Xbox One as of June 2013. Could it possibly be a new Gears of War title? One can only surmise. But in the meantime, we will just have to wait and see when this pickup will bear fruit.

This year has been a strange and harrowing 52 weeks. With the rise of the next-generation of gaming already upon us and a whole slew of new and hotly anticipated titles coming up in the next few months, it seems that now is as good a time as any to give a little reflection of games gone by.
So before the year 2013 rides off into the sunset, let us see what games stood out to me this year.
Hotline Miami
Hotline Miami was one of the few games that really made me question all the blood I spilled in the digital realm and if what I was doing was actually the mark of a hero or a sociopath. The awesome retro feel of the 8-bit visuals to the supreme soundtrack carried me through this twisted narrative as I butchered my way through every henchman that I crossed, only to kill my target and have the music cut off. I walked back out of the grisly massacre in chilled silence. It's disturbing. It's creepy. It's incredible.
Saints Row 4
Just when you thought that the Saints could not possibly get crazier, they break the mold and enter into an intergalactic odyssey. What made this so fun was not just the balanced super powers, or the huge cast of characters, or even the hilarious parodies and tongue-in-cheek references - it was a combination of all these things together. While Grand Theft Auto had begun to take itself too seriously as the series progressed, Saints Row embraced its craziness and absurdities. And for that, I salute them.
Shin Megami Tensei IV
The original demonic Pokemon hunt fest returned to glory on the 3DS this year. Its overall engrossing story and interesting characters with solid voice acting helped to weave a world of a broken and chaotic Japan with a neat twist of the usual warriors sent to vanquish a great evil. The return of the demon bartering system was just as dangerous and tricky as the battles themselves. A perfect blend of punishing (but not impossible) difficulty and a deep narrative that makes you want to face those challenges makes this game a gem any 3DS owner should have.
Bioshock Infinite
The Bioshock series has always been a welcome change from the usual cookie-cutter Call of Duty clones, and Bioshock Infinite hit the mark perfectly. Its action set pieces and small moments of a dystopian American paradise were not only rife with social commentary, but also gave you the power to summon flocks of murderous crows and shoot fireballs at giant steampunk hulk-Frankenstein-monsters. The blend of immersive worlds, beautifully flawed characters, and incredible plot twists leading up to the grand reveal; all make this a shooter for the ages.
Fire Emblem Awakening
In a return to form, Fire Emblem brought back the tough sense of loss in a war torn land. Setting up the punishing permanent death modes and adding a greater focus on bonds and relationships made the party member“s deaths all the more harrowing when you knew that the knight who fell in battle just recently confessed his love to that lovely dark mage.
Pokemon X & Y
What Pokemon X & Y succeeded in accomplishing was bringing back the excitement and wonder that came when I first loaded up Pokemon Blue and Red. Seeing this strange world open up before your eyes and seeing and catching your very first pokemon, training them, watching them evolve, and FINALLY move with full 3D animations – made this the first in the series that I was truly excited to play and experience. And being able to play as a black trainer was a boon for me too.
Tomb Raider
What clinched this as game of year material for me was Ms. Croft herself. Lara Croft was the quintessential power fantasy of female video game characters in the Playstation era. But as the years went on, she lost her sense of reality and became a novelty of times gone by. In the latest remake, in order for Lara Croft to become that strong central character she had to be broken down and rebuilt – literally and figuratively. Through the terrors she experiences and the various agonizing injuries she absorbs, she slowly sheds the weak layers of herself to unveil the strong and unshaken core of her being by game“s end. It is that blood-soaked, bone-breaking, trauma-inducing journey that makes Lara Croft my character of the year.
DmC: Devil May Cry
Official GP Review
When Ninja Theory announced their remake of the Devil May Cry series and Dante“s new look, you could almost hear the sharpening of pitchforks and lighting of torches all over the world. But what came about was a more down-to-earth, emotional, yet thrilling and action-packed take on Dante and company. The fighting system was just as tight and fluid as its predecessors and was even a vast improvement in some areas. It managed to bring out the glory of its past while still cementing a place for its own future. I cannot wait to see what they do for a sequel.
The Last of Us
Does this really come as a great surprise? The Last of Us manages to bring together so many elements – survival horror, action-adventure, strategy, stealth, drama – and makes it work. Its story is top-notch, the cast is a memorable crew of broken souls, and most importantly, it is a blast to play from start to finish.
The beauty of The Last of Us is how the story opens itself to the player as they scavenge the ruins of the world. It never explains how the virus spread, but you can see its effect in everything in the notes and letters you find scattered throughout the game. Desperate notes scrawled on walls and dirty notepads, vandalized street signs, broken toys, and even the bodies of those long dead. These small moments add to the bigger narrative between Joel and Ellie as they travel across America and not only learn about the darkness of the world and themselves, but also the glimmers of light that still remain. And just what limits will you go to keep those glimmers of light alive.
The Last of Us was less about a world overrun by a terrible virus and more about the people left behind: how do they cope? How do they survive? How do they cope with what they had to do in order to survive? The cast, from main characters Joel and Ellie to the standard grunts that you are forced to kill throughout the game, all carry with them gravity and purpose to their digital lives. Each grimace, hushed cry, or exclamation of terror on their face evoke just the right sense of despair and hope whatever little of it they can find. The swansong of the PlayStation 3 definitely left its mark with The Last of Us.

With the smell of turkey and ham dinners wafting to our nostrils, the holidays are already upon us. And with the holiday season comes all the general feelings of warmth, mirth, and agonizingly desperate grabs to get the latest and greatest gifts. 2012 is definitely the year of big releases; the coming of the next-generation of gaming is now upon us and every store is going to be packed to the brim with everything you can possibly imagine.
It is understandably going to be a huge and confusing task to slog through the madness of this holiday season, but fear not! This buying guide will take gently by the hand and lead you to the promised land of a perfect gift giving session.
PlayStation 4
For the gamer with an itchy trigger finger:
Killzone Shadow Fall
The flagship shooter for PlayStation has returned on the PlayStation 4 as well. Taking place 30 years after the events of Killzone 3, Shadow Fall brings the action from the tundra and jungles to huge glittering cities and landscapes. In addition to a solid single-player campaign, the real meat and potatoes comes in the multiplayer with its class systems, several hundred challenges, and more weapons and tech bonus than you can shake a Helghast trooper at.
For the gamer that“s young or just young at heart:
Knack
Premiered as one of the first of the many unique IPs at Sony“s Playstation 4 conference, Knack has all the makings of another Jak and Daxter classic for the next gen. The heart-warming story and characters also provides a deep combat and platforming system showcasing swapping and morphing the main player into small quick travelers or hulking titan duking it out to save the day.
For the gamer who plays for indie cred:
Transistor
(Note: Transistor is planned for release in 2014)
From the creator of highly acclaimed Bastion, Transistor follows in the same steps with a sweeping story, stylish visuals and innovative gameplay, and an incredible soundtrack to bob your head to throughout.
For the gamer with a hero complex:
Infamous: Second Son
(Note: Infamous: Second Son is releasing in March 2014)
Following the engrossing story left in Infamous 2, the world is now fully aware of super-powered beings known as â€œconduitsâ€ and have begun a severe crackdown on regulating the â€œthreatâ€ via an oppressive police state. The new protagonist boasts new smoke and brimstone based powers and later obtains several others throughout the game to tackle this new sprawling world. Following the same vein of the Infamous series, you can play the hero or a thug – it“s all up to you.
Xbox One
For the gamer looking to rekindle age-old bloodlust:
Killer Instinct
For those who do not recall, Killer Instinct hailed from the era of crazy 90s fighters along the time of Mortal Kombat, Primal Rage, and other in your face bloodfests. What set it apart from the other fighters of the time was its focus on bone-breakingly long combos that could go into the triple digits with the right timing and practice. And the announcer“s increasingly manic outbursts of â€œULTRA COMBOOOOO!!!â€ still echo in my brain. With their triumphant return, the same fast paced combat from yester-decade is back in full force with old and new characters entering the fray.
For the gamer likes giant robots as much as they like shooting at them:
Titanfall
(Note: Titanfall is releasing on March 11, 2014)
When this title was unveiled at E3, any doubts of Xbox One being a true gaming system were quickly crushed under steel mechanized foot. The massive gameplay maps, quick footed combat as well interesting strategy dynamic between fighting on foot or in mecha all will provide a powerful experience for any shooter fan.
For the gamer who is too fast and/or furious:
The Crew
http://youtu.be/FBLxQeDoKTc
(Note: The Crew is coming in 2014 now)
The only thing better than being able to drive fully customizable cars in a nearly limitless world that runs on a day and night cycle and lets you drive anywhere at any time is being able to do all that as part of a team of other players online and going fender to fender against other teams. From basic street races to off-road derbies in the dead of night, there is always something to do in this grand automobile playground.
For the gamer who believes Rome was built in a day:
Ryse: Son of Rome
What makes Ryse so impressive is the scope of the battles showcased. Being able to see a city ravaged by an ongoing war in the distance and hopping onto the shore, slashing and bashing your way through the enemy horde was fluid, beautiful, and brutal. In short, this is something that deserves attention.
For the gamer who wants to kill zombiesâ€¦with Style:
Dead Rising 3
http://youtu.be/DYXGRu23QMQ
Dead Rising has grown from its humble beginnings in a mall, to a Las Vegas-esque stadium, to an entire city to explore and fight though. With the latest hero being a mechanic, he is able to build weapons on the fly which gives a new level of skills and ingenuity in the war against the undead. If anyone still has doubts, I give you three words: Rocket. Powered. Steamroller.
Wii U
For the gamer who sympathizes with Oates and Garfunkel:
New Super Luigi U
Mario always gets the limelight on the main consoles ever since Nintendo“s conception – now it“s the lean and green machine“s time to shine. Super Luigi U plays close to the winning old meets new strategy of before but with some noted additions and remixes of stages and setups. Also, Luigi“s signature higher jump and air time skill comes back with full force. Maybe now Luigi can finally get some recognition (probably not).
For the gamer who wants some Pikmin in their Viewtiful Joe:
The Wonderful 101
Following the tradition of Platinum Games“ penchant for the unique and offbeat, The Wonderful 101 places you in the collective boots of an armada of Kamen-Rider-esque heroes who form giant constructs by corralling hundreds of people into shapes of swords, fists, whips, and even cannons to fight dastardly villains. Still with me? Perfect! With countless upgrades and skills to master, in addition to the funny and well written script, the game is a fun romp to tackle.
For the gamer who wants words to come to life:
Scribblenauts Unmasked
Scribblenauts is one of those gems of a game that couldn“t have happened without the touch features of the DS, and when the Wii U came out, it was a natural transition. Being able to conjure anything and anyone you can imagine into this whimsical world only becomes better when you can do so alongside the Justice League.
For the gamer always in search high-sea adventure:
Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
http://youtu.be/cC5R-MWbufY
Harkening back to the Gamecube era, Wind Waker was one of the premier titles and was as loved as it was hated by the fans. But now, it has returned in glorious 3D and it has never looked better.

More than a few months have passed since the release of Rockstar“s magnum opus of current-generation systems, Grand Theft Auto V. As the game was snatched off store shelves and anxiously shoved into the optic drives of Xbox 360s and PS3s the world over, it also came under a fanfare of criticisms and accusations of its use of drugs, violence, misogyny, and racism as the many volleys of critique towards the game and its characters. The truth of the matter, however, is the characters and the world of Grand Theft Auto V are not only criminals and vagabonds - they're also the very victims of the world that they are acting in.
Los Santos, the Los Angeles-esque backdrop of GTA V is as much a living, breathing creature as the rest of the cast. A growing and voracious beast that grows upon the denizens it consumes through the 24/7 media coverage of vapid celebrities, reality shows, socio-political soap operas, and the not-so-hidden underbelly of crime on the streets and in the homes. This seemingly bright and happy city full of wealth and glitz is also the scene of rampant crime on the streets, celebs and paparazzi doing the song and dance, and rich families being host to broken homes.
And the three heroes of this broken world - Trevor, Franklin, and Michael – are all willing to throw themselves into the city“s gaping maw of crime, cash, and corruption. All for different reasons, but all reaching the same result – just as every other person in Los Santos does, from the strippers to the politicians. At its core, GTA V is about money and people: people stealing for money, killing for money, selling their bodies for money – sacrificing themselves for money and the status and glory it is said to buy. The second part of the theme is the cast coming to grips with the price they had to pay.
Michael, the first protagonist we meet, is living the high life in the upper-crust part of Los Santos with the wealth and status that past GTA protagonist spent the whole game trying to attain. And that â€œhappy endingâ€ becomes nothing more than a bad joke: his wife is constantly cheating on him, his son is a lazy and disrespectful oaf, and his daughter is too busy having sex and taking drugs on party yachts to pay attention to him. He struggles the most with the price he paid to have the â€œgood life,â€ and when the chance to get back into the hustle of heists and robberies comes around, he jumps at the chance again. Not only because he needed the money to repay an extraordinary debt, but also to take back some of the parts that he gave up to be part of the upper-crust.
Trevor, Michael“s past robbery-partner, has not changed at all. He still remains a psychotic killer, drug-addled, and vice-ridden man. He is a man who has given everything to the system of the city and its demands. He willingly let himself be devoured by its appetite for corruption and wealth, and because of that is possibly the most honest of the three in his demeanor and thoughts.
Franklin, the third and youngest member of the trio poses as the everyman of the tale and possibly has the most honest desire of the three as to why he enters their world. His desire to better himself and rise up from the ghetto he lived in at the start of the game serves as his reason. From his honorable need gives way to the same chaos and destruction that wreaks havoc in the lives of the other two. The tragic note is that he is aware of the madness around him but decides to push onward despite the risks.
Throughout the three men“s misadventures, we see not just them but the whole city as part of this microcosm. All the way to the endgame, the three aspiring turned successful robbers achieve their hopes and dreams not by fighting against the system of the city, but by embracing it and more than anyone else in it.

The "Father of Survival Horror" Shinji Mikami will be showing off his latest original work The Evil Within at the Tokyo Game Show slated for this week. For those of us without a round-trip ticket to Japan, Bethesda has released a gameplay trailer giving a glimpse of the terror to come.
Centering on the Detective Sebastion and his partner as they rush to the scene of a bloody mass murder, he sent to a nightmare realm where the demons of reality mesh with the demons of his psyche.
It all carries a spirit of the Silent Hill series which can be nothing but a good thing.
The Evil Within is in development for the Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PC and is slated for release in 2014.

According to reports from Kara Swisher of AllThingsD (which have since been confirmed) Microsoft's head of the interactive gaming department Don Mattrick is taking leave of the company.
The article goes on to report that Mattrick is in close talks with Zynga to become their next CEO, which is now confirmed by Zynga itself. With word spreading of the transition, Zynga's shares have risen by 11.5 percent while Microsoft has seen a .25 percent drop.
This comes as yet another shaking change in the Microsoft house after the recent PR maelstrom concerning the Xbox One's DRM and other policies.
In spite of removing most of those policies, Microsoft still has a way to go to quell concerns in the market. Whether Mattrick's handling of the Xbox One at E3 and before is a defining factor in his departure, it has yet to be seen.
How will this affect Microsoft and its performance in the coming console bout? And who will they have to replace Mattrick's now vacant position? Be sure to keep an eye on Game Podunk for the latest updates on the situation.

Sony's president of development Shuhei Yoshida states that there is still a future in console gaming Games Industry reports.
Many critics and commentators have been foretelling the demise of console gaming in light of the fall of major gaming studios like THQ and the onset of mobile gaming and free-to-play. However, Yoshida remains confident that the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 still have plenty of life left in them:
"It's not the decline of consoles, it's the decline of a generation...This generation has been the longest on the PS3 and the Xbox, it's the seventh year. In older times we would have launched a new system already. Really, developers hit the limits after a couple of games on the same system, typically.
There are a few developers like Naughty Dog or Quantic Dream who are doing more, but that's kind of the exception. After you see the sequels to the same three games people feel like they've seen everything before. That's natural, but that's nothing like the end of the consoles."
What has caused the stagnation in systems has been the fact that they have lasted far longer than any other previous generation. The PS3 and Xbox 360 have been going on for the last seven year, if this was the past generation we would have already moved on to another by now.
Shuhei goes on to say they plan to have a ten year life-span projection for the PlayStation 4, using the increased 8 GB or RAM and faster more up to date software updates over the PlayStation Network.
"It will be the same with the PlayStation 4," Yoshida said. "We are launching this holiday but we already have plans on the roadmap for additional features and improvements on the services side which will constantly evolve with time."
Through this constant innovation and wider array of resources, Shuhei claims that the PlayStation 4 will retain its place as a premier home console and entertainment system.

It has been more than a week since the E3 conference where the biggest news on the lips and minds of the gaming world was the Playstation 4 and Xbox One and their upcoming salvos for the next-gen console war.
In a first for the company, Nintendo decided not to hold a conference like its two rivals, focusing more on a purist approach via pre-recorded off-site video streamed showcases of their new and old game series and showing off their heavy hitting titles at select Best Buy stores.
Nintendo and their new series of â€œNintendo Directâ€ showings were their answer to what they felt was the overt pomp and majesty that gaming events have become: light shows, jumbo screens, fast-talking announcers, and celebrity guests. Countless amounts of money and time are put into these showcases and from Nintendo“s point of view, were a waste of their money and time.
By way of the Nintendo Direct events, they wanted to remove the bloated middleman that was the flashy showbiz style of E3 and focus on the gameplay and nothing else with their sparse aesthetic. However, this Spartan media campaign I believe has done far more harm than good for the big N.
With their absence from the E3 conference stage – while a solid strategic move to avoid the chance of being upstaged by Sony and Microsoft, essentially removed even the possibility of holding their own spotlight during the events. What appeared to be Nintendo“s folly was they sold themselves and their productions far too short. The games and system features they had were quite impressive and an exciting mixture of old series (the new Super Mario), new gems (Bayonetta 2, Wonderful 101), and the announcement of long awaited legends (Smash Brothers).
In addition to all the news of Pokemon X and Y, new playable characters for Smash Brothers, and other networking specs for the Wii U and 3DS, they had more than enough to display on the big stage. And if they were so confident in their philosophies of letting the games speak for themselves, they should have placed enough trust to put it up against the Playstation 4 and Xbox One. While they tried so valiantly to let the games do the talking, their absence spoke much louder.
What Nintendo failed to realize was gaming and the entire world of it has vastly changed. As the games become more complex and the production values rival that of many theatrical films, the glitz, pomp, and showmanship that is E3 fits right in with the movie galas for the latest movie by Spike Lee or Joss Whedon.
The spectacle has become just as much a part of the experience as the games themselves. By not showing the games off live on stage, they lost some of that magic that can only come about with living eyes and ears. There is no way that a Nintendo Direct live cast can recreate the madcap roar that the new Battlefront game made. An isolated video of Mega Man fighting Mario cannot record the cacophony of applause and cheers that the Sony conference received when they announced the Playstation 4 can play used games. A single trailer being shown in the vacuum of a silent studio cannot and will not match the fervor of live audience of gaming journalists and attendee watching with slacked jaws as an entire building comes crashing down before them during the Battlefield 4 multiplayer demo.
Without that human factor, without that showmanship and glitz that solidifies the experience and the sense of wonder, Nintendo came off looking listless and cold in comparison - which is why it was no surprise that so many people felt underwhelmed by Nintendo and so much more fervor was placed on Playstation 4 and the Xbox One respectively.
While it is still far too early to count Nintendo out of the game already, E3 was truly a sign that something must change or grow within Nintendo if they wish to not be left by the wayside.
If the Wii U and Nintendo honestly want to stay as a contender in the coming console war, they have to start showing up on the battlefield.

With the grand unveil of the Xbox One and Sony“s soon-to-be release of what the Playstation 4 actually looks like, the two next-gen super powers are two of the most advanced pieces of hardware the console arms race has seen. And after watching the both of them, it has become readily apparent what each system sees as their path to domination in the next stage of the great console war.
It all really comes down to a single question: â€œWho are we selling for?â€
The answer to this one question has shaped the core of the Playstation 4 and the Xbox One“s features and selling points.
When the Playstation 4 was first shown to the public, the entirety of the showcase was put squarely on its games first and foremost. The major releases and exclusives were a technical marvel after technical marvel. The hallowed â€œshareâ€ button on the controller was touted as the future of connectivity between players all across the Playstation Network, allowing people to show off their gameplay but also let friend join in the midst of gameplay and assist you, tag in, or just to observe your progress. Its cloud-based system was also placed up to provide even more intensive linking with the PS Vita.
The series of connectivity and innovation that the Playstation 4 focused so much on all geared towards the question of â€œwho are we selling for?â€ – their answer being the ever-present â€œcore gaming market.â€ All that was made thus far has been to support this mark on the system“s functions and design. It is a gaming machine first and everything else second.
Meanwhile, Xbox One which presented much of the same impressive hardware and tech as its rival used this incredible technical power to widen their lens than narrow it down. The glut of their initial reveal was on the various methods of switching between vast arrays of media: gaming, internet, television, fantasy football leagues, and Skype all at the beck and call of the users“ voice or the wave of their hand.
During the presentation, the Xbox One“s big name games were Forza 5 and Call of Duty: Ghosts, with 19 more exclusive titles coming down the pipeline. In comparison to the majority of the show, the games were more of an afterthought than the main course. While Microsoft did say that their gaming presence will be made apparent at E3, the strong focus they made on the Xbox One“s multimedia reaches has illustrated Microsoft“s philosophy for their system much like Sony“s presentation has set up their own.
The real question to come is which approach will be more effective? The Playstation 4“s power turned to work from within, or the Xbox One“s to be empowered from without?
With E3 coming around the bend, both companies will be presenting their bigger onslaught of titles and other morsels of information for the masses. All in all, this holiday season is shaping up to be one of the bigger stages of the console wars we have ever seen.
Which system are you most excited for and why?

With Bungie now free from handling the Halo series after 343 Studios taking the reigns, Bungie has announced their latest game, Destiny which will grace not only the Xbox 360 but also the Playstation 3. While the game has yet to show any actual footage, the fine folks at Bungie have released oodles of concept art and details on the story. One thing is for certain, this game is as far removed from Halo as you can get.
The Story Begins after the World's End
Destiny begins not in a galaxy far far away, but right here on the blue marble. However, our little planet is not what it used to be. The world has advanced far into the future to the point where traveling to Mars is as common as a round trip flight from New York to Florida. Destiny's story takes place after a period of great and terrible war. Most of humanity (along with most of the planet) was wiped out after a mysterious mechanical race from a distant future called "Vex" attacked.
The human race was saved from annihilation by an unknown being known only as "The Traveler" who helped turn the tide of the war with his advanced technology and abilities which he supplied to the war-torn populace. Ultimately he had to sacrifice his own life to truly defeat the Vex menace and gave the remaining dregs of humanity their long sought after peace.
Now The Traveler's giant ship (the sphere shown in the pic above) sits above the last remaining city on earth which also provides the populace with the Traveler's weaponry and powers. In Destiny, you play as one of the many appointed "Guardians" who use the Traveler's powers for their own to protect their city, but also to explore the vestiges of the solar system.
This is your Story
In a departure from playing as the Master Chief, Destiny lets you create your own hero and also chose what power you inherited from the Traveler. These powers break down into three classes: the hunter, the warlock, and vanguard.
The hunter (the first picture on the top) is the quickest of the three and uses light fast weaponry like SMGs and sniper rifles. The warlock (middle pic) uses the supernatural abilities of the Traveler utilizing fire-balls, tech, and smaller side-arm pistols. Finally the vanguard class (final picture) is the heavy of the three using heavy armor and high artillery. In addition to the character classes, you also have freedom to customize their look via class-specific armor and weapons.
From there, you create your own narrative by doing different stories and quests making up a personal story that is unique to your play style and play-through. Aside from the custom character and story, the game also carries an open online world where every other player is also present in the same game world. However, this does not mean that the game will devolve into a giant mess of characters running amok.
The interaction is planned to work like the multiplayer component in Journey. Players will see one another going through their game and you have the freedom to approach them, interact to trade loot or join in exploration, or you could just go on your merry way alone in the game world. Speaking of the world...
The World is HUGE
Despite starting the game all in the same place of the Earth city, Destiny will not be limited to a single planet. As you progress, your travels will take you all over the galaxy from the ancient long forgotten Mars colonies, derelict ships floating through the rings of Saturn, and even the acid lakes on our neighboring planet Venus. The world is as varied and vast as the universe itself. And in order to actually get to these places, you are gonna need a sweet ride.
You can Fly the (not so) Friendly Skies (and stars)
Once you get some missions under your belt, you will have access to a bevy of space craft. The method of attaining these ships varies as well. Some players get it by finishing missions or raids while other ships are obtained as spoils of battle. Later on you will have access to a broad swath of vehicles for both land and air, making for even more interesting match-ups of hardware. As you travel the cosmos.
Space is not such a Friendly Place
As you travel the galaxy you will not only come across other players but also other more volatile threats. Destiny will boost a rogues' gallery of foes to use your Traveler-enabled powers.
The enemies you face will hail from different factions, each using their own special tech and weaponry. One faction called the Cabal uses heavy artillery and large armored vehicles and wield large heavy shields to soak up damage. Another faction dubbed The Fallen are a race of Spider-like pirates with their own special tricks. Each faction will require some special tactics to take down and will force you to push your powers to the limits.
A Strange New World
From the huge open world and emphasis on player freedom and interaction, Bungie seems to be really going for a whole new experience unlike anything seen in any Halo game in the series before. Working together closely with Activision, Bungie seems to also want to make a large connected world using Activision's know-how when it comes to online gaming.
No word yet on a release date, but stores like Best Buy, Gamestop, and Amazon are already holding preorders. And if Bungie and company can deliver, Destiny may prove to be another smashing success for the company to add to their repertoire.

Honestly, I was going to say the exact opposite, barrel. If he works on Pokemon now, he'll have enough of a time to get over the burn-out period just in time for the Pokemon X/Y. Maybe Dominic can save Dragon Quest IX for playing between the two games?

You can get the same experience with pokemon any year! There probably was a reason why you stopped playing B&W2 1st place, because you already played it before! *takes the pokemon villain role, despite not actually being the biggest fan of DQ9*

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